East Bench man is arrested and charged with child abuse

Child abuse charges have been filed against an East Bench man whom police believe shook his infant son so severely he caused permanent damage.

It is likely that the infant, Nesta Keegan Childs, who was born March 13, will spend the rest of his life with severe mental retardation and will be blind and possibly deaf, according to charges filed Friday in 3rd District Court by Salt Lake County prosecutors.Brian P. Childs, 20, 935 E. Pennsylvania Place (1917 East) was arrested by police Friday and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, according to Salt Lake Police Sgt. Kyle Jones.

Physicians at Primary Children's Medical Center who examined the child when he was brought to the emergency room at 3 a.m. April 10, said he was suffering from multiple injuries, including severe intracranial hemorrhages and swelling, retinal hemorrhages, bruises and a broken rib. All of those injuries are consistent with the type of non-accident trauma caused by shaken-baby syndrome, the charges state.

Childs and the baby's mother, Marci Wilson, took the boy to the hospital on the advice of a pediatrician, a Salt Lake police report states.

The baby was lethargic, limp, unresponsive and appeared to be having trouble breathing, Wilson told police.

According to the report, Wilson left the infant at home alone with Childs for about 20 minutes between 9 and 10 p.m. April 9, while she went to the store for ice cream. When she left, the boy was acting normally and had been fed, she said.

Upon her return, Wilson noticed the baby's clothes had been changed. He also appeared limp and was having breathing difficulty. Childs said he had changed the baby's diaper.

According to the charges, Childs then used a flashlight to check the infant's eyes, which were unresponsive. The baby was also making a grunting noise. Childs and Wilson put the child to bed, but decided to call the doctor several hours later because his condition did not improve.

Hospital authorities contacted the Division of Child and Family Services, which called police.

The infant was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition, but was released April 27, hospital spokeswoman Bonnie Midget said. Midget did not know if the infant was in the DCFS custody or with family members.